ZAMORA – Last weekend an illegal rave was organised in the Spanish province of Zamora. Despite the Guardia Civil trying to manage the arrival of more than 2,000 partygoers, it was announced that a 32-year-old woman died during the festival.
The festival, which was to last from August 12 to 15, was announced by a closed group a few days earlier, much to the dismay of the Spanish regional government of Castile and León. Consequently, the region was not prepared for the arrival of more than 2,000 visitors to the dance party.
Mainly people from Central and Northern Europe came to the festival, mostly groups of friends and even families with children. The festival took place in the municipality of Salce, in the province of Zamora.
Rave illegally organised but supervised by Spanish police forces
Shortly after the announcement of the rave, the Guardia Civil followed developments closely. Mainly to ensure that everything went smoothly, that visitors could get to the party via the right routes and that any damage to nature and surroundings would be prevented as much as possible. Moreover, residents of Salce were concerned about the arrival of possibly thousands of people to the small village. Therefore, the police and the regional administration asked the local mayor to reassure residents.
Shortly after the call, the mayor of Salce said on Friday that the party was being held a few kilometers from the village. Despite no consultation from the organisation, he was confident the festival would not have a negative impact on the community. However, he called on both organisers and visitors via social media to be vigilant because of the drought, heat and the high risk of forest fires.
32-year-old woman died during illegal Zamora rave
Although the rave was organised illegally, and therefore, not all safety and hygiene requirements were met, it went fairly smoothly. Nevertheless, it was announced on Monday 15 August that a 32-year-old woman from Switzerland had died during the festival. The Swiss woman came to the rave with a friend after they saw the social media announcements.
According to the Guardia Civil, after the initial investigation, there is no sign that the woman was killed by violence. Spanish police said on Monday that a further autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
